The Seme Command of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) said it intercepted a truck belonging to one of the major conglomerates concealed with some cartons of unregistered pharmaceutical products worth N27.8 million along the Abidjan-Lagos corridor.
Customs Area Controller (CAC), Seme Area Command, Dera Nnadi, who disclosed this, said officers of the command intercepted the truck, with registration number GL 6663 GH, during a routine stop and search.
He said the truck was taken to the station at Seme for proper examination and upon the conduct of the examination, unregistered pharmaceutical products were discovered, including, 1,076 bottles of Morphine Sulfate 100ml; 94 bottles of Amodiaquine Suspension 60ml; 2,970 packages of Vermox 500mg; 390 packets of Mepacrine tablets 100mg; 298 packets of Clofenac SR 100mg; 1,485 packages of Losartan Potassium 50mg and 499 packages of Virest 400 Aciclovir tablets.
Nnadi said the seizure contravened the NCS ban on the importation of pharmaceutical products through the land border without approval. He added that it also contravenes the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) laws, as they don’t have registration numbers, while five out of the seven seized products have expired.
He said the command and the public are worried about this particular seizure considering the dangerous use of morphine, which is a derivative of opium and can be deployed for illicit use to aid criminals.
He reiterated the command’s commitment to fight smuggling under any guise, while warning that those trying its resolve will continue to meet their water-loo as men of the command remain resolute at ensuring adequate surveillance of the borders.
He recalled that men of the command, had last month, intercepted a vehicle conveying seven large sacks containing 553 parcels along the Abidjan-Lagos corridor with four suspects arrested in connection with the seizure.
Nnadi said in line with the dictates of the NCS in the promotion of inter-agency collaboration and synergy, the seized items and suspects have been handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for necessary action.
